Wayanad landslides: Mass burial held in Wayanad for unidentified victims of landslide

By Deepu Mohan | First Published Aug 5, 2024, 6:07 PM IST

200 graves were dug in Puthumala for the mass burial of victims of massive landslides in Wayanad. The funeral rites will be held with prayers from all religions.

Mananthavady: Mass graves were dug in Puthumala for the burial of unidentified victims who died in the Mundakkai landslide. The funeral of 16 bodies has been completed with the rites of the remaining bodies underway. 200 graves have been dug. The funeral of 27 bodies and 154 body parts will be done today in Puthumala.

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The funeral rites will be held with prayers from all religions. After lengthy preparations on Sunday (August 4), the cremation was scheduled for Monday (August 5). Volunteers are actively involved in completing the rituals. Each body part will be considered as a separate body and buried. First, Christian religious rites, followed by Hindu and Islamic religious rites, prayers, and last rites will be performed for each victim.

The death toll in the Mundakkai landslide has risen to 402. Of those recovered from mud and from Chaliyar, 180 were body parts. However, according to official figures, the death toll stands at 222. 180 people are yet to be found. Eight of the unidentified bodies were cremated on Sunday (August 4).

In today's )August 5) search, two bodies were recovered from Chooralmala village road. The number of volunteers for the search beyond the Bailey Bridge was fixed today with teams of 50 people each in 12 zones conducting the search operation.

The army has said that the search will continue till the district administration asks for it. The army's decision is to hand over the search operations to the state administration in a phased manner. Today's search is being conducted under the leadership of gram panchayat members in nine wards along the Chaliyar river. As many as 91 people who were injured in the landslide are undergoing treatment at hospitals. As many as 2,514 people, who lost their homes, are staying in relief camps.

Also Read: Centre slams Kerala govt for illegal mining activities in landslide-hit Wayanad

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